Editorial: a target for provocateurs

Photo: Jaanus Lensment / Postimees

The little village of Vao in Väike-Maarja Parish with its centre of asylum seekers is being brutally pulled into a big game of becoming an epicentre of «events».  Regrettably, the greatest harm happens to those who are thus attempted to protect, whether knowingly and intentionally, out of curiosity, or of outright stupidity.

For the European Union, the issue of war refugees is highly complex no doubt. An unquestioned EU leader of today, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called it nothing less than the greatest challenge of her term in office. Till today, Estonia’s experience with receiving refugees has been scant. Obviously, we are short of competence and capacity with support persons and officials to help these people get integrated, as explained by experts in Estonia.

It’s one thing to discuss the essence of the problems, be it on EU or Estonian level – as wisely requested by the people. Another matter altogether is to sow anger in society or help spread misinformation. As admitted by Väike-Maarja Parish elder Indrek Kesküla last week, the biggest bane of Vao Village are provocateurs motivated by fun or ill will. The «support trips to locals» triggered by calls in social media are fodder for the various provocateurs beginning with radical politicians and ending with Russia’s Kremlin-minded media which is happy to shoot its material at events like that.

For a small state, instability on society is an existential threat. This, the Estonian public who likes to consider itself a nation prudent and educated, has sensed well. In social media, the Bronze Nights of 2007 rather reflected shock than rage. In the again-independent Estonia, extremist powers aimed at sowing anxiety and fear have remained marginal. The rallies promoted by Nochnoy Dozor were limited to a handful.

For the Estonian debate on refugees to be of content and rationale, input of statesmen and media – as posing the questions – is needed. In Estonia, the entire subject might be much more definite and better felt – here, a lot has earlier been omitted. Meanwhile, when tackling the topic lots of mistakes in other countries may still be avoided.

Let us think, then, and take the decisions best for Estonia – instead of undertaking things mean towards peace-loving people in a small village and the refugees of war. As social protection minister Margus Tsahkna was prompt to remind us: the latter include children who have seen the atrocities of war in nations like Ukraine and Georgia.